Past Presidents
The Society had a number of eminent scientists as President since its founding in 1839. Years shown below are years of election. Presidents were often elected in June/July and their period of office would run June-June.
2023 - Peter O'Toole (current)
2019-23 Grace Burke
2016-19 Michelle Peckham
2013-16 Peter Nellist
2010-13 Tony Wilson
2009-10 Paul Monaghan
2006-9 W. Mark Rainforth
2004-6 Chris Hawes
2002-4 John L. Hutchison
2000-2 Gordon Lorimer
1998-2000 Patrick Echlin
1996-8 C. Vyvyan Howard
1994-6 P.J. Goodhew
1992-4 H.Y. Elder
1990-2 M.J. Goringe
1988-90 Gillian R. Bullock, MSc, PhD
1986-7 J.S. Ploem, MD
1984-5 Archie Howie, MA, PhD, FRS
1982-3 A.W. Robards, PhD, DSc, FIBiol
1980-1 John R. Garrett, Bsc, MB, BS, PhD, MD, FRCPath, LDS, RCS
1978-9 Brian Ralph, MA, PhD, ScD
1976-7 Duncan G. Murchison, BSc, PhD, FGS, FRSE
1974-5 G. L'E. Turner, MA, MSc, DSc, FInstP, FRHistS, FSA
1972-3 A.G.E. Pearse, MD, FRCP, FRCPath, DCP
1970-1 Audrey M. Glauert, MA, MSc, ScD
1967-9 B. Barer, MC, MA, DPhil
1966 HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
1964-5 John R. Baker, MA, DPhil, DSc, FRS
1961-3 V.E. Cosslett, MA, PhD, ScD, FInstP, FRS
1958-60 John Bunyan, LDS, RCS
1956-7 J. Smiles, OBE, ARCS
1954-5 T. E. Wallis, DSc, FRIC, FPS, ACP
1952-3 H. G. Smith, CB, OBE, MC, TD, DL
1950-1 G. M. Findlay, CBE, MD, DSc, FRCP
1947-9 R. J. Ludford, PhD, DSc
1946 James A. Murray, MD, BSc, FRS
1938-45 Joseph E. Barnard, FInstP, FRS
1936-7 Reginald S. Clay, BA, DSc, FInstP
1934-5 W.A.F. Balfour-Brown, MA, FZS, FRES, FRSE
1932-3 Conrad Beck, CBE
1930-1 R. Ruggles Gates, MA, PhD, LLD, FLS, FRS
1928-9 Joseph E. Barnard, FInstP, FRS
1926-7 James A. Murray, MD, BSc, FRS
1924-5 A. Chaston Chapman, FIC, FCS, FRS
1922-3 Frederic J. Cheshire, CBE, FInstP
1920-1 John H. Eyre, MD, MS, FRSE
1918-19 Joseph E. Barnard, FInstP, FRS
1916-17 Edward Heron-Allen, FLS, FGS, FRS
1913-15 Sir German Sims Woodhead, MA, MD, LLD, FRSE
1911-12 Henry George Plimmer, FLS, FZS, FRS
1910-11 Sir J. Arthur Thomson, MA, FRSE
1909 Sir Edwin Ray Lankester, KCB, MA, LLD, FLS, FRS
1907-8 The Rt Hon. Lord Avebury, PC, DCL, LLD, FRS
1904-6 Dukinfield Henry Scott, MA, PhD, LLD, FLS, FRS
1902-3 Henry Woodward, LLD, FGS, FZS, FRS
1900-1 William Carruthers, FLS, FGS, FRS
1897-9 Edward Milles Nelson
1893-5 Albert D. Michael, FLS
1891-2 Robert Braithwaite, MD, MRCS
1888-90 Charles Thomas Hudson, MA, LLD, FRS
1884-7 Rev. William Henry Dallinger, MA, LLD, FRS
1881-3 Peter Martin Duncan, MB, FRS
1879-80 Lionel S. Beale, MB, FRCP, FRS
1878 Henry James Slack, FGS
1875-7 Henry Clifton Sorby, LLD, FRS
1873-4 Charles Brooke, MA, FRS
1871-2 William Kitchen Parker, FRS
1869-70 Rev. Joseph Bancroft Reade, MA, FRS
1865-8 James Glaisher, FRS
1863-4 Charles Brooke, MA, FRS
1861-2 Robert James Farrants, FRCS
1860 John Thomas Quekett, FRS
1858-9 Edwin Lankester, MD, LLD, FRS
1856-7 George Shadbolt
1854-5 William Benjamin Carpenter, CB, MD, LLD, FRS
1852-3 George Jackson, MRCS
1850-1 Arthur Farre, MD, FRS
1848-9 George Busk, FRS
1846-7 James Scott Bowerbank, LLD, FRS
1844-5Thomas Bell, FRS
1842-3 John Lindley, PhD, FRS
1840-1 Sir Richard Owen, KCB, DCL, MD, LLD, FRS